Rumor: Nintendo DSi coming to US on April 4 at $179

IGN reports that "multiple sources close to Nintendo" have told the site that the Big N's latest handheld will make the trip across the Pacific in April. "The company has allegedly relayed to its partners that DSi will ship stateside in early April, most likely on April 4," IGN writes.

These same sources have put a $179.99 price tag on the DSi for its domestic release. In contrast, DSi retails for ¥18,900 ($210) in Japan, where it launched on November 1, 2008. If true, an April release would contradict Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé's assertion last October that the system wouldn't launch Stateside until "well into 2009," although Nintendo head, Satoru Iwata, has said it would arrive here before summer '09. Then again, he also said Nintendo expected one pre-order per every member of every family on planet Earth ... or did we just dream that?